Saina Nehwal is conscious that qualifying for the Paris Olympics shall be “tough” for her however the injury-ravaged Indian shuttler has no plans to stop badminton and would do every thing below the solar to resurrect her profession.
Laid low by a spate of accidents, together with a recurring knee subject, and different well being issues, the 33-year-old from Hyderabad has discovered it powerful to remain match to persistently flip up on the BWF World Tour occasions.
Her rating has plummeted to quantity 55 on this planet.
“I get inflammation in my knee whenever I train for an hour or two. I am not able to bend my knee so a second session of training is not possible. The doctors have given me a couple of injection. Of course the Olympics is near and it is tough (to qualify),” Saina instructed reporters.
“But I am trying my level best to comeback. The physios are helping me but if the inflammation doesn’t reduce, it will take little more time to recover. I also don’t want to play half-heartedly and results will also not come.”
“If you are trying to compete against An Seyoung, or Tai Tzu Ying or Akane (Yamaguchi), it won’t happen with just one hour of training. The level has improved so much. So when you are playing such high level players, you need a high level game,” Saina, who was named the ‘Race Ambassador’ for Harvest Gold Global Race on September 24 in Gurugram, stated.
The former world no 1 final performed on the Singapore Open in June this 12 months.
It was her sixth event of the season. She managed only one quarterfinal end in 14 occasions in 2022, whereas a semifinal end at Orleans Masters was her greatest efficiency in 8 occasions in 2021.
“If you are thinking about the knee showing inflammation after a training, then in tournament also if it shows up after one round, then it will be a negative sign.
“I’m making an attempt to type out that first. Playing is simple, to keep up the physique, to not have any niggles is what’s essential. Hopefully with the steerage of physios and Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, let’s examine how I get better and comeback. It all relies on follow.”
No deadline for retirement
The two-time world championships medallist Saina last won a title in January 2019 at the Malaysia Masters.
While knee has been a recurring issue, she also had problems with groin and ankle, besides being diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis with mild pancreatitis in the past.
Asked about retirement, Saina said: “Woh toh sab ko karna parta hai (everybody has to retire sometime)…there is no such thing as a deadline. Everyone goes to cease once you really feel the physique will not be supporting you.” “But in the mean time I’m making an attempt. As a sports activities individual, it’s my obligation to strive as a result of I really like the sport and I’ve been enjoying for thus a few years.
“But if it doesn’t happen, then it means, how much I have tried. I have done everything, I mean I shouldn’t have any regret. My target is not to play Asian Games or Olympics because I have achieved a lot in those tournament and of course it could have been better if I would have been able to play, but let’s see how it goes.”
Saina backs Sindhu on week-long coaching stint in PPBA
Saina, who educated below former India coach Vimal Kumar in 2015-16, backed fellow shuttler PV Sindhu’s resolution to coach for per week on the Prakash Padukone academy in Bangalore to regain her kind.
“Change in coaches will help if you feel something is not working under some coach or change of atmosphere also helps. You need to try it out. I tried it and I could reach world no 1, reach world championships final,” Saina stated.
“After playing 8 quarterfinals, somewhere mind stops thinking if I can ever cross quarterfinal stage. But I could do it after some change. It is required for a player.”
Saina stated, “And why not? It is your career. After all, it is you who will sit and think what I have achieved in my career, so changes are always good if it is helping.” Saina reckons that world championships bronze medallist HS Prannoy has an opportunity to return with a medal from Hangzhou, China.
“All are doing well, especially Prannoy is giving back-to-back good results. Let’s see there are some tough challenges. But I feel Prannoy is good and Sindhu has always done well in big tournaments,” she stated.
The London Olympics bronze medallist feels the younger brigade in girls’s singles is missing the all-round sport required to succeed at world stage.
“Badminton is one of the toughest sports in the world physically. You need to be 100% fit throughout the year to play 17 to 20 tournaments in a year. Sindhu and me were gifted, we were natural retrievers on the court and we had an attacking game as well.”
“But other players as far as I am watching the matches, they lack a few things. It is not easy to play at the highest level unless you have an all-round game. We are lacking somewhere here and there,” she added.
Source: www.thehindu.com
